According to an article citing comments from Kevin Allen of Detroit Hockey Now, the Detroit Red Wings are set to move on from five of their unrestricted free agents. Reportedly not being offered contract extensions, Cam Talbot, Erik Gustafsson, David Perron, Travis Hamonic and James van Riemsdyk will all be in new destinations if they can land new deals this summer.
These potential departures are not terribly surprising. Veterans like Travis Hamonic, Erik Gustafsson, and David Perron appear to be past their NHL impact or better suited elsewhere. Cam Talbot’s role also looks set to shift to younger goaltenders. The biggest surprise is James van Riemsdyk, who still produced 31 points in 72 games but may be moved to open a spot for younger players.
This means that Patrick Kane, also a pending UFA, might be offered a new deal. His one-year contract at $3 million will be revisited and it will be interesting to see if the two sides talk a longer deal this offseason.
The Red Wings hinted at changes when GM Steve Yzerman spoke with the media a couple of weeks ago. These five players leaving will likely be just the start of moves he makes in an effort to get younger, faster, and more competitive. All five players were 34 years of age or older. All are slowing down if already unable to compete at the NHL level. It was just a matter of time before the Red Wings realized that having an aging team of veterans who filled out the roster’s depth wasn’t going to cut it.
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